The present invention relates to a horizontal shotgun and/or rifle rack assembly and, in particular, to a horizontal shotgun and/or rifle rack for use in hunting boats which: (a) can hold two shotguns, two rifles, or a shotgun and rifle in horizontal positions adjacent the side of a boat and generally below the gunwale (gunnel) of a boat where the shotgun(s) and/or rifle(s), although out of the way of the hunters in the boat to prevent the accidental discharge of or accidental damage to the shotgun(s) and/or rifle(s) by the hunters, are readily accessible to the hunters; (b) supports the shotgun(s) and/or rifle(s) above the bottom of the boat so that the shotgun(s) and/or rifle(s) do not get wet from water in the bottom of the boat; and (c) keeps the shotgun(s) and/or rifle(s) from getting lost if the hunting boat capsizes.
Hunting for water fowl, such as but not limited to duck hunting, is frequently carried out from within a hunting boat. While hunting boats may have other configurations, typically, hunting boats are flat bottomed boats with shallow, curved, side walls about thirteen inches in height. Over the years, there has been a need: for carrying shotguns and/or rifles in such boats in a way that reduces the chance of an accidental discharge of a shotgun or rifle; for keeping the shotgun(s) and/or rifle(s) out of the way when not in use to prevent damage to the shotgun(s) and/or rifle(s); for keeping the shotguns or rifles from getting wet if there is water in the bottom of the boat; for providing a shotgun or rifle rack assembly that does not interfere with the hunter when a shotgun or rifle has been removed from the rack and is in use; and for securing the shotgun(s) and/or rifle(s) to the boat so that the shotgun(s) and/or rifle(s) are not lost if the boat overturns, capsizes or is bumped into while traveling across the water.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,876,078, issued Apr. 8, 1975, and entitled "Portable Gun Rack" discloses a portable gun rack for mounting a gun in duck blinds, deer stands and the like. While suitable for mounting guns in duck blinds, deer stands and the like, the portable gun rack of the '078 patent is not suitable for mounting a gun in a shallow hunting boat. With the portable gun rack of the '078 patent receiving the butt end of the stock and the forward end portion of the gun stock to hold the gun in the rack, as shown in FIG. 1, and with the clamp for securing the rack to a duck blind or deer stand located at the upper end of the gun rack, the height of the portable gun rack of the '078 would be to great for mounting shotgun or rifle within a shallow hunting boat. U.S. Pat. No. 3,952,878, issued Apr. 27, 1976, entitled "Gun Stand" discloses a portable gun stand to be mounted in the ground which engages the rifle at the butt end of the stock and near the forward end of the barrel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,423, issued May 16, 1978, and entitled "Rifle Stand" discloses a gun stand to be mounted in the ground which engages the butt end of the stock and a midportion of the stock. U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,971, issued Mar. 20, 1979, and entitled "Gun Caddy" discloses a gun stand to be mounted in the ground which engages the butt end of the stock and the barrel of the shotgun. U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,588, issued Jul. 3, 1979, and entitled "Apparatus for Supporting Sporting Guns During Testing Intervals" discloses a frame for supporting a gun in a downward inclined position and for cooling the gun barrel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,989, issued May 29, 1984, and entitled "Gun Rack for Motor Vehicles" discloses a gun rack for supporting guns horizontally with elastic retaining means and end plates for mounting the gun rack on the back window of a vehicle such as a pickup truck. U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,203, issued Apr. 15, 1986, and entitled "Fishing Rod Holder", discloses two brackets for mounting a series of fishing rods along side each other. U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,279, issued Jan. 7, 1992, and entitled "Gun Rack" discloses a gun rack with an elastic hold down member which is permanently attached through its base unit 11 by means of screws or bolts to vertical surfaces which holds a gun in a horizontal position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,257, issued Oct. 14, 1997, and entitled "Gun Rack", discloses a gun rack with a locking mechanism for mounting by bolts through apertures 24 and 26 to a wall. U.K. patent application no. 2170994 A, published Aug. 20, 1986, and entitled "Gun Security Systems", discloses a lockable gun rack, to be permanently attached to a vertical surface, which engages the gun at the butt end of the stock, at a midportion of the stock rearward of the trigger guard, and at the forward end of the barrel. U.S Des. Pat. No. 272,785, issued Feb. 28, 1984, and entitled "Set of Brackets for Mounting on a Wall for Supporting Horizontally Oriented Fishing Rods", discloses two brackets to be mounted on a wall with a fastener that has cradles open at one side for supporting fishing rods. U.S. Des. Pat. No. 365,717, issued Jan. 2, 1996, and entitled "Portable Gun Rack", discloses a wire gun rack.